


Summer Meadow

by duesternis



Series: together, now [2]
Category: The Terror (TV 2018)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Domesticity, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Post-Canon Fix-It, Somebody Lives/Not Everyone Dies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-04
Updated: 2020-08-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:06:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25714780
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/duesternis/pseuds/duesternis
Summary: Edward swallowed again and put his hands on Thomas‘ hips. Kissed his sweaty brow and then pressed their foreheads together."Let me help you."Thomas smiled, eyes shining."Lay the table, please, Ned."He cupped Edward’s cheek in his slender hand for a moment, and Edward smelled the warmth from his wrist. Dearer to him than any flower or perfume.He nodded and they parted.
Relationships: Thomas Jopson/Lt Edward Little
Series: together, now [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1856881
Comments: 2
Kudos: 34





	Summer Meadow

Edward felt Thomas‘ eyes on his back like an insistent touch.  
He bent, put another log on the splitting block. Lifted the axe high over his head and let it swing down on the exhale.  
The log split down the middle and he tossed the halves at the pile.

He wiped sweat from his brow with his sleeve and turned half over his shoulder to look at Thomas.  
Who was fixing the fence. Supposedly.  
At the moment he was just outright staring at Edward.  
Thomas‘ cheeks were red with exertion and maybe something else.  
Edward smiled, wiped more sweat and put the axe down for a moment, heading for the pump by the kitchen door.  
The cat slumbered in the spot of sunshine on the step, one eye blinking up at Edward when he bent to pick the jug up. He scratched the old rascal under the chin and was rewarded with a purr.  
Edward filled the jug Thomas had washed this morning and drank directly from it, some of the water running over the wide lip and dripping down Edward’s beard.

The first taste made him realise how thirsty he really was and in no time the jug was empty.  
Thomas took it from him, wiped his thumb over the corner of Edward’s mouth. Then he licked the moisture off his skin.  
"Break?"  
Edward swallowed, shirt sticking to his back and hands dreadfully empty right now.  
"I’m hungry," said Thomas and pressed a short kiss to the sweaty hollow of Edward’s throat. "We’ve left-over roast from last night, I’ll cut that up with some bread. Mustard for you, yes?"  
Edward swallowed again and put his hands on Thomas‘ hips. Kissed his sweaty brow and then pressed their foreheads together.  
"Let me help you."

Thomas smiled, eyes shining.  
"Lay the table, please, Ned."  
He cupped Edward’s cheek in his slender hand for a moment, and Edward smelled the warmth from his wrist. Dearer to him than any flower or perfume.  
He nodded and they parted.

For summer days like today they had a small table and bench by the apple tree, dappled with shade and quite breezy, thanks to the small stream beyond their property.  
The cat followed him from the kitchen step to the tree and chose another spot in the sun to lie down and blink at him.  
Edward set that table for them with tablecloth, fresh water from the pump, a handful of wild strawberries in a bowl and the last bit of sheep’s milk from their neighbour.  
Edward would have to go by tomorrow, bring some eggs and get some milk in return. Or cheese.  
Thomas was quite fond of the creamy, white cheese.

And Edward had promised him, that Thomas would want for nothing.  
Had promised it to him secretly, en route back to England.  
The only token he’d had left was a much abused handkerchief and Thomas had taken it gladly. Had given Edward a single mother of pearl button from a shirt that Thomas no longer had at that point.  
Thomas‘ promise had been to never let Edward face anything on his own.

So Edward would go and get cheese for Thomas, and Thomas went with him to see his family, when they called.  
A retired steward made Lieutenant.  
Not the worst close friend a Commander could have, Edward thought to himself with a smile, remembering the crisp, but kind words his mother had spoken last Christmas.  
Thomas came up from the house, carrying a tray with the sandwiches.

"Now, what has you in such high spirits, Ned?" The sparkling smile only helped broaden Edward’s own.  
"I was thinking about my mother, if you want to know."  
Thomas laughed disbelieving, tossing Edward a glance as he set down his tray.  
"Since when does your mother warrant such a smile, darling?"  
He took his seat closely next to Edward on the bench and Edward poured them water.  
Thomas handed him a sandwich, mustard a pale yellow stripe on the dark bread.  
Edward kissed his temple.  
"Remember what she said about you at Christmas?"  
"Oh, there were a great many things said. Reminded me of a command meeting, I must say."  
There was a wry, smart curve to Thomas‘ mouth and it reminded Edward quite clearly of why he’d fallen so deeply in love with Thomas.  
Under his polished, polite veneer was a man always listening. Always thinking and feeling and with more ideas of his own than any high-bred, tottering politician Edward had ever met.  
Smarter too.  
"How you’re not the worst friend I could have."  
Thomas laughed and bit into his sandwich. Edward followed suit and for a moment they ate in silence.  
Bees buzzed around them, birds called and the chickens clucked. The cat yawned and swatted at a fly.  
Their own little haven, their private heaven.

After lunch they finished their work, washed together at the pump, shirts dropped around their waists and hair quite dark with sweat.  
Thomas washed himself quickly, but thoroughly.  
Edward kept flicking water at him, still in a good mood and unwilling to have Thomas put his shirt back on too soon.  
The constant work outside had tanned his pale skin to a warm cream gold and Edward could never get enough of it.  
It was the first thing and the last thing he did each day: Look at Thomas and find him nothing but gorgeous.

"Mr Little, please, sir."  
Thomas looked at him with an exasperated huff.  
Edward laughed and raised his hands in defeat.  
"Apologies, Mr Jopson. Meant no harm."  
Thomas gave him a neat shove and a peck on the lips, then he slipped back into his shirt.  
"Finish up here and meet me upstairs. We can have more sandwiches for dinner, Ned."

Edward almost knocked down the jug from the sill with the sudden twitch of his hand, deeply aware of the flush that spread over his torso.  
"I’ll be right up."  
Thomas‘ gaze dropped and a lazy grin, quite feline, curled his mouth and subsequently Edward’s toes against the flagstones.  
"Seems you already are. Hurry, darling."

No need to say it a third time, really.  
Edward was up the stairs quicker than a ship’s boy on dock after pay day.

In the end they forewent dinner entirely and rather held each other, the cat somehow on the bed with them.  
Which was just as well.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading! Pls leave a comment and all that jazz


End file.
